Refrigerating-machine



H. E. WILLSIE. REFR'GERATING MACHINE. APPLICATION nun SEPT. z. 1914.

Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

WITNESSES:

HENRY ELMER WILLSIE, 0F CRANFORD, NEW JERSEY.

REFBIGEBATING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

Application filed September 2, 1914. Serial No. 859,727.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY ELMER WILL- sln, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Cranford, in the county of Union and State ofNew Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRefrigerating-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The general object of'my invention is to produce a refrigeratingapparatus of the intermittent absorption type suitable for use inresidences. The more specific objects of my invention are: to avoid theuse of valves in the ammonia system; to provide means to automaticallyair insulate the evaporator during the heating period and to continuethe refrigeration in the refrigerator box; to automatically water coolthe contents of the still-absorber during the gas absorbing period; toprovide an ice cream freezing device within the refrigerator; to utilizethe heated condenser water in the house service and thereby save fuelexpense; and to automatically turn on and ofl the fuel as by means ofthe 'arying weight of the still-absorber.

I attain these objects by the mechanism shown in the accompanyingdrawing, in which, Figure l is a diagrammatic elevation of theapparatus; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section through theevaporator; Fig. 3, a section of the same on the line m-a: Fig. 2; Fig.4, a vertical section of the ice cream freezing attachment; Fig. 5, across section of y-g Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 a vertical section of theexpansion drain valve.

Similar characters refer to similar parts.

The construction and operation of my machine is as follows: Astill-absorber tank, 10, is filled with aqua-ammonia to about the levelof the dotted line as, and heated by the combustion of fuel gas at theburner 11, thus driving ammonia gas through the pipes 12, 13, the trap14, the rectifying coil 15, the pipe 16, the evaporator 17, the pipe 18,into the condenser 19, where the gas is liquefied. The direction of thisflow of gas is indicated by double headed arrows. When the gas is turnedoff, allowing the still-absorber to cool and its pressure to decreasethe liquid ammonia in the condensin coil 19 is forced up the pipe 18into the evaporator 17, where its evaporation produces refrigeration.

the same on the line Moisture condensed in the rectifying coil 15 hascollected in thetrap 14. he pressure of the returning gas forms a columnof liquid in the pipe 13 which directs the flow of gas through pipes 21,22 into the stillabsorber 10. The cooling coil, 23, is below thestill-absorber and connected to it and to the pipes 21, 22. Because ofthe low level of the cooling coil 23 there is no circulation of liquidthrough it during the heating period and therefore no important loss ofheat because of it, but the returning gas mixing with and being absorbedby the liquid in the coil 23 and the pipe 22 sets up a circulation ofliquid, in the direction indicated by the single barbed arrow,

through the coil 23, thereby cooling the liquid in the still-absorber.

The water tank 20 is connected by the pipes 24, 25 to the elevated waterreservoir 26. Heat from the coils 15, 19, 23 warms the Water in tanks20, 26 and sets up a circulation of water in the direction indicated bythe single headed arrows. The reservoir 26 is connected to an auxiliaryfuel heated coil 27. Cold water is supplied through the pipe 28 and warmwater for use in the house is drawn oil through the pipe 29. In case thewater about the condensing coil 19 becomes too warm the expansion valve30 opens at a predetermined temperature allowing water to flow from thepipe 28, around the coil 19, and out of the ipe 31.

To turn the fuel gas on and o the stillahsorber is pivotally supportedat one end on the column 32 V the arm 33 of the lever 34 which is otallysupported on the column 35. lever is balanced by the weight 56 so thatwhen the predetermined amount of ammonia has been evaporated, therebylessening the weight of the still-absorber, the lever arm 33, movingupward, engages the gas cock 36, in the gas service pipe 11, to closeit. Also when the ammonia has been reabsorbed, thereby increasing theWeight of the still absorber, the lever arm 33, moving downward, opensthe gas cock 36 and the fuel gas is li hted .by the continuously burningpilot lig t 37. The gas cook 36 is provided with a weighted arm 38which, as it is forced past its center of support by the lever arm 33,completes the movement of the gas cock. There is suflicient flexibilityin the connecting pipes for a movepiv- The and at the other end on mentof the still absorber. The still-absorber is surrounded by a heatretaining casing 39 provided with a flue pipe 39".

The eva Jorator, 17, within the upper part of the re ri erator box 40,is surrounded, except for tie lower portion, by the air' tight casing41. The lower edges of this casing extend below the level. of theevaporator and into the brine in the brine tank 42. The casing 41 isthus sealed air tight. During the heating period the air between thecasing 41, and the evaporator 17 expands, lowering the brine fromcontact with the evaporator and thus keeping the brine from being heatedto a harmful amount. During the absorbing period the air within thecasing 41 contracts drawing up the brine into contact with theevaporator, thus cooling the upper surface of the brine and setting up abrine circulation whereby all the brine is cooled. The brine tank ispreferably deep and contains sufficient brine for refrigeration duringthe beating period.

The evaporator 17 is provided with a. downwardly extending pipe orchamber 43 closed at its lower end, and located within the refrigeratorbox. A tube H has an opening near the bottom of the chamber 43 andconnects into pi e 16 at a little below the level of the ful amount ofammonia used in the evaporator. When the evaporatorfills with a freshbarge of ammonia any excess, either of moisture or ammonia, drains upthe tube 44 and down the pipe 16. The evaporator extension 43 may beutilized for freezing ice cream, etc. For this purpose it is surroundedby a can 45 containing the material to be chilled. The can is providedwith scrapers 46, 46, and also with gears 47, 48 which may be turned bythe crank 49. The crank shaft extends through the wall of therefrigerator box so that the can 45 may be rotated from outside the refrl ator.

plan to place the still-absorber and the cooling coils 15, 23, 19 andthe tank 20 in the basement of a house, and the refrigerator and thereservoir on the floor above. However the reservoir 26 may be an opentop tank and t as the double pipe type, in which the ammoma pipe usuallysurrounds the flowing water pipe, and then the water pipes take thefunction of the tank 20.

I refer to use water without any salt in the r1ne tank for cleanlinessin a domestic refrigerator, unless a low temperature is desired. The iceformin on the evaporatordrops away from it uring the heating nod andcarries the refrigeration.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a refrigerating machine, a still-absorber having a pivotal supportadjacent laced in the attic. The coils 15, 23, 19 e tank 20 may take theform known one of its ends, a pivotally supported lever adapted tosupport the other end of said stillabsorber, a burner for heating saidstillabsorber, a valve for controlling the supply of fuel to saidburner, and operating means intermediate said lever and said valve.

2. The combination with a still-absorber and a condenser-evaporatorconnected in an operative cycle, of a coil below the still absorber withboth ends connected tothe stillabsorber and adapted to be filled withliquid from the still-absorber, and a pipe for returning gas to thestill-absorber connected to the coil.

3. The combination with a still-absorber and a condenser-evaporatorconnected in an operative cycle, of a tank for cooling water, a coil insaid tank below the level of the still-absorber and connected at bothends to the still-absorber, and a return gas pipe connected to saidcoil.

4. The combination with still-absorber and a condenser-ovaporato-rconnected in an operative cycle, of mood] below thelevel of thestill-absorber and connected at both ends to the still-absorber, areturn gas pipe connecting the condenser-evaporator to said coil. andmeans for cooling said coil.

5. In a refrigerating machine, a still-a'bsorber adapted to contain aliquid, a condenser-evaporator connected with said stilla'bsorber, acooling member, means connecting said cooling member with saidstill-absorber and through which liquid from said still-absorber maycirculate through sai cooling member, and a gas return pipe leading fromsaid condenser-evaporator and communicating with said connecting means.

6. In combination, a still absorber, an evaporator, a condenserconnected in an o erative cycle of a coil below the level of t e stillabsorber and connected to said stillabsorber, a return gas pipe todirect gas into said coil to provide means for circulatin the stillabsorber liquid through said e01 during the absorbing period.

7. In combination, a still absonbe-r, an evaporator and a condenserconnected'in an operative cycle of a coil connected to thestill-absorber to cool liquid from the stillabsorber dturing theabsorbing period, a return pipe for gas, said pipe connectin theevaporator 'to the still-absorber to nest gas into said coil whereby thereturn gas sets up a circulation of liquid from the still-absorber throuh said coil.

8. 111' com ination, a still absorber, an evaporator and a,'condenscrconneoted in an operative cycle of a coil connected to thestiltabsorber and located in part below the level at which heat isapplied to the stilla'bsorber and means for returning gas to the saidstill-absorber through a portion of said coil.

9. The combination of a tank for cooling water, a condenser adapted tobe cooled by the water in said tank, a supply pipe connecting into saidtank, a discharge pipe leading out of said tank, and a thermostaticvalve for regulating a flow of water through said discharge pipe.

10. In a refrigerating machine, a tank adapted to contain a liquid to becooled, an evaporator adjacent the surface of the liquid in said tank,and an open bottom casing inclosing said evaporator and depending intothe liquid in said tank.

11. In a refri rating machine, a tank adapted to contain a liquid to becooled, an evaporator with 'which the liquid in said tank may contact,and means dependent for operation upon the temperature within saidevaporator ordetermining the area of contact between said evaporator andsaid liquid.

12. The combination with a still-absorber, a condenser and evaporator,all connected in an operative cycle, of a brine tank inclosing the lowerportion of the evaporator, and a casing partly inclosing theevaporator'and opening into the brine tank at a lower level than thebottom of the evapora;

tor.

13. The combination with a still absorber, a condenser and evaporator,all connected in an operative cycle, of a vertical cylindrical chamberclosed at the bottom and connected to the bottom of the evaporator, atube opening into the bottom of the chamher and into a pipe connectingthe evaporator to the still-absorber for draining an excess of liquidtoward the still-absorber.

Signed at 'Cranford in the county of Union and State of New Jersey thisfirst day of September A. D. 1914.

Witnesses:

Fos'rnn OARKnm, G. M. HENDRICKS.

